Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method for controlling the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
A multi function peripheral (MFP) which includes an image reading device, a printing device, and a communication device, and has image processing applications for copying, printing, and transmission of a scanned image has been known. As security awareness has improved recently, many MFPs include a function for performing user authentication. There is an image forming apparatus that allows a user to use an MFP when the user inputs a username and a password as authentication information. However, in terms of operability, to manually input a username and password information from a touch panel on the MFP is troublesome for a user who wants to immediately use the MFP.
For reducing the trouble of such a user operation, there is an image forming apparatus that displays icon images linked with users on a screen of an MFP. The MFP becomes usable by a user simply selecting the user's own icon image displayed on the screen, as discussed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-254618.
There is also an image forming apparatus that can use cards distributed to employees as employee identification (ID) cards for authentication by an MFP. A user can perform an authentication operation by simply holding the user's card over a card reader connected to the image forming apparatus, and having the card reader read a card ID stored in the card as discussed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-187559.
According to the foregoing Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-254618, the number of displayed icon images increases as the number of users of the MFP increases. This lowers the searchability of the icon images and thus limits the number of users.
The MFP discussed in the foregoing Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-187559 can be used even in an environment with a large number of users. However, users who do not have a card (such as part-time workers, temporary staff, and short-term users) are not able to use the MFP. Users having no card need to input a username and a password as an alternative means for login. This causes operability troubles to some users.
As described above, there are constraints on the scale of users (the number of users) to use the MFP, and there are operability troubles to some users, so that they cannot enjoy the convenience.